


Great Scott!

by graham_humberts_shoelace



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Gen, Gremma baby from an au comes to fix shit, Regina is evil and we don't like her, is this a Back to the Future or a Parent Trap au who fucking knows, season 1 au and divergence, sibling bonding!!!, time travelling baby!, yet another au no one asked for but I'm writing anyway
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-07
Updated: 2020-06-07
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:54:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24592639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/graham_humberts_shoelace/pseuds/graham_humberts_shoelace
Summary: A young woman from another land winds up in the forest of Storybrooke. Why? She's there to make sure that the Evil Queen won't succeed in fooling everyone into believing she's good, she's there to help Emma Swan believe, and to help Graham Humbert on the path to remembering... and also maybe get this alternate version of her parents together.
Relationships: Huntsman | Sheriff Graham/Emma Swan, Prince Charming | David Nolan/Snow White | Mary Margaret Blanchard
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6





	Great Scott!

It's the light through the tree branches that wakes her up. A soft groan escapes the young woman, and she sits up, rubbing the back of her neck and taking in her surroundings. The forest is beautiful, completely green. It's almost picturesque.

Definitely Storybrooke alright. No forest looks _this_ good.

The portal hadn't been _too_ off, then. She was supposed to land at the town line. But hey, she can work with the forest. She'd always had more of a connection with the wildlife and plants than she ever did the stone walls and stuffiness of her home. Her mother would smile at that, a sad one. Would tell her she's more like her father in that regard. He'd never enjoyed being cooped up somewhere when he could be feeling the breeze on his skin and getting dirt under his nails. Would follow the call of his brothers and sisters and be gone for days or weeks at a time.

He'd always come back though, her mother would tell her. Until, one day, he didn't. The Evil Queen had ripped his heart from his chest for the second time in his life and had promptly crushed it to dust. His body had been returned to the castle weeks later. 

He'd never gotten to meet his daughter. She'd been born a week after the funeral. But her mother would try and tell her as many stories as she could, wanted her daughter to know her father. There were no portraits of him; he never could sit still enough for a few hours. So her mother described him as best as she could. Dark unruly hair, a trimmed beard, tall and slender, he never truly smiled unless in her mother's presence, his eyes were as deep of a blue as the sea.

She'd been told she has her father's eyes, his smile. She'd tried to picture the man she'd been told so much about, tried to look at her own face and decide what features were his. She took after her mother and grandmother, her grandfather often pointed out the resemblance with a proud grin. His girls, he used to tell her with a kiss to her forehead and his hand on the back of her head to hold her close. They lost him too. Killed by one of the Evil Queen's men. Her grandmother was devastated, her mother furious. 

The war had started officially began when she was fourteen. She is now twenty, and it is lost. Which is why she was sent here to Storybrooke, to try and prevent a war from happening in this timeline. To try stopping the Evil Queen before she fools everybody into thinking she's turned good. To help her mother- or, well, this version of her mother- to break the curse.

To save her father.

That part wasn't necessarily something she had to do, her mother hadn't even suggested it. But god, she's going to try. One version of Princess Emma and her huntsman deserve happiness.

The young woman stands up, dusting off her trousers- _jeans,_ her mother had told her- and straightening out her blouse and jacket. How her mother had gotten clothes from the Land without Magic, she doesn't know. She glances around, before finding the bag she'd brought with her. Enough for some changes of clothes and this world's currency. At the bottom of the bag lies a notebook, one she shall fill in as she goes along. Documenting anything she deems suspicious or that will require her attention.

She slings the back over her shoulder, cracking her neck with a groan.

A branch snapping makes her whirl around, her hand instinctively reaching behind her for an arrow. But she's quick to relax at the sight of a wolf; a familiar one with mismatched eyes. A smile lights up her face and she falls to a crouch, holding out her hand. The wolf trots over, nuzzling his head against her palm.

"Hey boy," she murmurs, reaching out with her other hand and scratching behind his ear. "You follow me here? Or were you here already, hm?" she asks, and the wolf lets out a little huff. "Here already, huh? I take it he doesn't know who you are yet, but don't worry, boy, we'll fix that. I'll make sure he remembers." she promises, leaning forward and resting her forehead against the wolf's head for a moment. "Know the way into town? I'd appreciate a guide right now." she says, standing up and tucking her hair behind her ear.

The wolf nudges his head against her hip, before starting to trot off again. She follows behind him, keeping up the pace and keeping an eye out for anyone who might see her. She doubts anyone will, given how deep in the forest she really is. And if they do, then she'll just have to come up with an excuse. She prefers the scenic route? She likes to hike? Something will come to her should anyone ask.

For now, she just enjoys jogging alongside the wolf and breathing in the forest air, enjoys the leaves and twigs crunching beneath her boots. It's been too long since the last time she'd been able to roam free in the woods. Of course, this time, she's following a guide to the town of Storybrooke. 

The town is in her sight now, and she pauses at the treeline, taking in the architecture and the weird looking metal carriages driving around. _Cars, they're called cars_. She'd made sure to read everything she could about the Land without Magic, so she could prepare herself for what would be there.

"Thanks, boy." she whispers, scratching behind the wolf's ear one last time and watching him wander back off into the forest. She knows that should she need help, she'll find him again. It was her family's unofficial motto, of course. 

The woman blows out a soft sigh and looks back to the town. "Here we go." she murmurs to herself, before holding her head up high and exiting the forest, gripping the strap of her bag tightly. 

Already there's a sense of unease about this town. She glances around, furrowing her brows at the... blandness, of the place. It's almost stagnant, as if everyone is simply going through the motions and waiting for the next day. Twenty-eight years this curse would last, her mother had told her. She can only hope she wound up getting here at the end of those twenty-eight years, and not a year in.

"Watch it, blondie!" a man grunts as he walks past her on the sidewalk, shooting her a dirty look. _Grumpy_ , she realises, watching him go with an amused smile. She shakes her head fondly, glancing around the street. It's quiet. She sits down on a bench, setting her bag beside her and blowing out a soft sigh, looking up at the sky and squinting at the sun's position. It's early morning, probably around eight or so.

She looks down at the ground when she hears a faint rustle. There's nothing there. She checks beneath the bench, finding a newspaper with the breeze softly moving its pages. She grabs it, idly looking over the front page, then the back. She frowns with confusion, opening it and flicking through the pages. Huh.

There's no date.

That's... frustrating. She sets the paper down beside her with a huff, before shouldering her bag and standing up again. It doesn't look like many places are open yet, so she'll just have to keep searching. Maybe there'll be a bed and breakfast, or a trading post open? If not, then she hopes there's another way to kill her time. As she continues to walk, she looks at each of the buildings carefully, memorises the store names, the pubs, anything she sees she tries to keep in mind. It'd be handy for later, when she's trying to figure out peoples movements, where they frequent. 

_Granny's Diner_.

She squints up at the sign, observing the cosy looking building and the people inside. She _is_ hungry, and this will make do for some breakfast. She makes her way up the steps and pushes open the door, making her way to one of the seats at the counter, dumping her bag by her feet. 

One of the waitresses gives her an odd look, as does a couple sitting at one of the tables. Briefly, she wonders if they don't get many new people in this tow- _oh_. Of course they don't. 

"Hey, what can I get you?" a waitress asks her, giving her a smile. _Ruby_ , the nametag reads. 

"Uh..." she glances up to the menu, scanning over it. "Bacon and cheese omelette, and a hot chocolate with cinnamon, please."

"Cinnamon, huh?" the girl asks, looking a little amused. "Coming right up!" 

She smiles at her and nods, shifting a little on her seat and discreetly looking around, trying to figure out if she recognises anyone here. Not many of them, but some she isn't quite sure of. The door chimes and a young boy walks in. He says something to Ruby, who smiles and nods at him, scribbling down something. The boy sits at the window, and he pulls out some books from his bag. Last minute homework.

"Here you go!" Ruby chimes in a few minutes later, placing a plate and a mug down before her. "Just give me a shout when you wanna pay, kay?" she then turns and resumes whatever task she'd been doing prior.

"Okay." is all she finds herself able to say, taking a few bites of her omelette. _Damn_ , it's good. The door opens again and whoever enters... well, he's got a light step. It's almost impressive. 

"Just a coffee, Ruby." he says in an accent she can't quite place. She narrows her eyes a little, taking a sip of her hot chocolate.

"Sure I can't tempt you with a breakfast, Sheriff?" the waitress asks, a playful lilt to her voice. The man laughs a little.

"Not today, no. But thank you."

She turns a little to catch a glimpse of him from the corner of her eye; but she only manages to see the back of him. So, she shrugs and returns to her own breakfast. By the time she's finished her omelette, the door opens again and this time, she does get a glimpse of who it is.

Her mother, twenty years younger than she'd last seen her. She can't help but stare at her. It's such a _bizarre_ contrast. This Emma wears jeans and a red leather jacket and a "Don't piss me off this early" expression. Her mother wears lovely gowns and sweet smiles. Or, well, up until grandpa had died she had.

"Just a bear claw, Ruby." Emma says, sitting at the counter. Emma looks over at her, and she quickly averts her gaze, focusing on a greasy spot on the counter and taking another sip of her hot chocolate. _Don't stare at her, for the love of god just don't stare_. She doesn't know how long she pretends to find the spot on the counter fascination, but when she next looks up her mother isn't sitting at the counter. She glances behind her, finding her standing talking to the Sheriff; an amused look on her face.

She drains the rest of her drink; now cold. She rummages around in her bag and pulls out a ten dollar bill, setting it under her mug. "Oh! Before I forget-" she says to the waitress, who turns to look at her, brows arched. "-is there anywhere to stay around here? Any B&B's or inns-"

"You're in luck." Ruby grins, taking the ten dollar bill and tallying up her order. "My grandmother, she owns this place, she owns a bed and breakfast just down the corner. Follow the signs. Your change is-"

"Keep it." she shrugs, standing up and picking up her bag. "Thanks, Ruby." she smiles, exiting the diner. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. _I can do this_. She'll fix this timeline. She has to. But, in the mean time, a bath would be nice. So, she follows the signs as per Ruby's instructions, and comes across the Bed and Breakfast. It almost feels like something she might see back home; with the older looking feel to the building and the overgrown plants. She walks down the path and opens the door, coming into the reception.

"Hello?" she calls out after a moment, glancing around. Another minute or so goes by, before an older woman comes into the reception, looking... excited? "I'd like a-"

"Room?" she asks, beaming at her and going behind the desk, flipping open a ledger. "You're our second guest of the week, I'm pleased to say! We don't often get strangers in town. Now, how long will your stay be?"

"Uh..." she squints, rubbing the back of her neck. "Indefinite, for now, if that's alright? I'll pay by the week."

"That's just fine, dear!" she smiles, scribbling that down. "And your name?"

"Niamh. Niamh... Hunter." she decides upon, lips quirking up a little. "Eve suits me just fine though. It's what everyone else calls me. Well, everyone except my mother." she shrugs, and the old woman nods, writing that down. 

"Well then, Eve, welcome to Storybrooke." the woman turns and grabs a room key, handing it over to Eve. She looks at the key, at the intricacy of it. She smiles a little bit, meeting the older woman's eyes.

"I'm sure I'll enjoy my stay." 

**Author's Note:**

> Niamh- pronounced neev, hence the nickname Eve. I decided upon it because I rather like the idea of a Gremma baby having an Irish name, even though Graham himself isn't technically Irish lmao. It means bright or radiant, and for Eve's mother (au Emma) who lost her beloved, she decided the name Niamh was fitting as the baby was her brightness during a dark time. Hunter as a last name is self explanatory lmaoo
> 
> As for how Eve looks I imagine her to sorta look like Elle Fanning, who I think looks a lot like Jennifer Morrison with just a few differences. Eve's got her father's eyes and smile but other than that she's all Emma.


End file.
